E A RTHM OV I N G | By Curt Bennink
High power density requirements and long run times make hydrogen an attractive source to eliminate carbon production.
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he drive toward zero emissions is a complex undertaking for the heavyduty truck and large earthmoving machine markets. It will require innovative product solutions backed by a stable infrastructure that is cost comparative to running existing diesel-powered machines. During an April 29, 2021, press conference on driving a hydrogen future, Martin Daum, CEO, Daimler Truck, and Martin Lundstedt, CEO, Volvo Group, shared their visions of the future. “The road to zero emissions is like a multiplication problem,” Daum stated. “We need an attractive vehicle offering, we need a working infrastructure and we need cost parity. Those three factors are combined like multiplication. You know from high school in multiplication if one factor is zero, it doesn’t matter how big or how large the other factors are, the product is always zero.” All three factors need to be present in order for the solution to work. Meeting regulatory requirements and fleet goals to de-carbonize large construction equipment and heavy Class 7 and 8 trucks is going to require customized solutions. While there has been a lot of progress on battery electric vehicle (BEV) technology in compact construction machinery and light automotive applications, the power densities required by large earthmoving machinery and Class 7 and 8 trucks coupled with long work shifts may favor other solutions. If the goal is to simply reduce greenhouse gas emissions,
renewable fuels can provide a cost-effective option. According to Alastair Hayfield, Interact Analysis, carbon neutral fuels such as biodiesel are a good choice because they’re achievable and don’t require a big investment. “They are definitely an option because, practically, it is going to be very difficult to electrify everything. There are certain applications where it makes no sense from a cost perspective or an operational perspective,” he points out.
HYDROGEN DEBATE RESURFACES Lately, hydrogen has reentered the discussion as a promising solution for heavy earthmoving and other applications that require extreme power densities over long periods of time. In July 2020, JCB announced it had developed a hydrogenpowered excavator. The 20-tonne 220X excavator prototype is powered by a hydrogen fuel cell and has been undergoing testing at the company’s quarry proving grounds. “JCB will continue to develop and refine this technology with advanced testing of our prototype machine, and we will continue to be at the forefront of technologies designed to build a zero-carbon future,” says Lord Bamford, JCB Chairman. In March 2021, SANY shared that two hydrogen fuel cell-powered vehicles had rolled off its production line: a dump truck and a mixer truck. The company asserts that heat and water vapor are the only emissions from these hydrogen-powered vehicles. In addition, SANY says these new vehicles provide increased power due to the high-power fuel cell
16 EQU IPMEN T TODAY | January 2022
Pictured is cellcentric’s twin fuel cell system for heavy-duty applications. stacks utilized in conjunction with a large torque drive motor and AMT gearbox. Longer driving distances are possible, as well, using hydrogen cylinders with a combined capacity of 443.8 gal.(1,680 L), which ensures a driving range of over 310.7 mi. (500 km). Hyundai Construction Equipment recently decided to join forces with Hyundai Motor Group to develop hydrogenpowered construction machinery. Hyundai Motors and Hyundai Mobis will design and manufacture hydrogen fuel cell systems, including power packs,
while Hyundai Construction Equipment will design, manufacture and evaluate the performance of excavators and forklifts. The target date for mass production and distribution has been set to 2023. Unlike conventional diesel engine-based equipment, hydrogen fuel cell-based electric construction equipment uses electricity produced through the chemical reactions between hydrogen and oxygen as its power source, meaning no emission of toxic gases into the air. Given the rapidly rising demand for eco-friendly equipment
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around the world in recent years, hydrogen-based construction equipment is expected to help Hyundai Construction Equipment compete in the global construction market moving forward. Furthermore, compared to lithium batteries, which have been marred by structural issues limiting various attempts to increase battery capacity, hydrogen fuel cells are much easier to expand, making them a much more logical choice for large forklifts or excavators. There are many different solutions for electrifying fleets,
Daimler AG
Large Machinery OEMs EXPLORE HYDROGEN FUTURE
